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Swine influenza

(also called

swine flu

hog flu

pig flu

and sometimes,

the swine

) is aninfection by any one of several types of swine influenzavirus.

Swine influenza virus

(

SIV

) isany strain of theinfluenza family of virusesthat is endemic in pigs.

[2]

As of 2009, the known SIVstrains includeinfluenza C and the subtypes of influenza Aknown asH1N1, H1N2,H3N1, H3N2, andH2N3. Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of thevirus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodiesin the blood. If transmission does cause humaninfluenza, it is calledzoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.During the mid-20th century, identification of influenza subtypes became possible, allowingaccurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, only 50 such transmissions have beenconfirmed. These strains of swine flu rarely pass from human to human. Symptoms of zoonoticswine flu in humans are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illnessin general, namelychills, fever ,sore throat,muscle pains,severeheadache, coughin

2009 outbreak in humans

Main article:2009 flu pandemic

TheH1N1viralstrainimplicated in the2009 flu pandemic among humans often is called "swine flu" because initial testing showed many of the genes in the virus were similar to influenzaviruses normally occurring in North American swine.

[49]

Further research has shown that three-quarters or six out of the eight gene segments of the 2009 virus arose from the 1998 NorthAmerican swine flu strains which emerged from the first-ever reported triple-hybrid virus of 1998.

[44

][44][45][45][46]

In late April, Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization's director-general, declared a"public health emergency of international concern" under the rules of the WHO's new International Health Regulations when the first cases of the H1N1 virus were reported in theUnited States.

[50

][51]

Following the outbreak, on May 2, 2009, it was reported in pigs at a farm inAlberta, Canada, with a link to theoutbreak in Mexico.The pigs are suspected to have caught this new strain of virus from a farm worker who recently returned from Mexico, then showedsymptoms of an influenza-like illness.

[52]

These are probable cases, pending confirmation bylaboratory testing.The new strain was initially described as an apparentreassortment of at least four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, including one strainendemic in humans, oneendemic in birds, and two endemic in swine.

[49]

Subsequent analysis suggested it was a reassortment of just twostrains, both found in swine.

[53]

Although initial reports identified the new strain as swineinfluenza (i.e., azoonosisoriginating in swine), its genetic origin was only later revealed to have been mostly a descendant of the triple-reassortment virus which emerged in factory farms in theUnited States in 1998.

[44][44][45][45][46]

Several countries took precautionary measures to reduce thechances for a global pandemic of the disease.

[54]

The 2009 swine flu has been compared to other similar types of influenza virus in terms of mortality:

"in the US it appears that for every 1000 people who get infected, about 40 people need admission to hospital and about one persondies."

[55]

There are fears that swine flu will become a major global pandemic at the end of theyear (coinciding with the Northern Hemisphere winter months), with many countries planningmajor vaccination campaigns.

[56]

Transmission

Transmission between pigs

Influenza is quite common in pigs, with about half of breeding pigs having been exposed to thevirus in the US.

[57]

Antibodies to the virus are also common in pigs in other countries.

[57]

The main route of transmission is through direct contact between infected and uninfectedanimals.

[11]

These close contacts are particularly common during animal transport.Intensivefarmingmay also increase the risk of transmission, as the pigs are raised in very close proximityto each other.

[58

][59]

The direct transfer of the virus probably occurs either by pigs touching noses,or through dried mucus. Airborne transmission through the aerosols produced by pigs coughingor sneezing are also an important means of infection.

[11]

The virus usually spreads quicklythrough a herd, infecting all the pigs within just a few days.

[2]

Transmission may also occur through wild animals, such aswild boar , which can spread the disease between farms.

[60]

Transmission to humans

People who work with poultry and swine, especially people with intense exposures, are atincreased risk of zoonoticinfection with influenza virus endemic in these animals, and constitutea population of human hosts in whichzoonosisandreassortment can co-occur.

[61]

Vaccination of these workers against influenza and surveillance for new influenza strains among this populationmay therefore be an important public health measure.

[62]

Transmission of influenza from swine tohumans who work with swine was documented in a small surveillance study performed in 2004at the University of Iowa.

[63]

This study among others forms the basis of a recommendation that people whose jobs involve handling poultry and swine be the focus of increased public healthsurveillance.

[61]

Other professions at particular risk of infection are veterinarians and meat processing workers, although the risk of infection for both of these groups is lower than that of farm workers.

[

Signs and symptoms

In swine